These sweet gluten-free vegan crepes are easy to make and absolutely delicious! Once you get the hang of making these crepes, I can guarantee you that they’ll be something you want to eat all the time!
The special ingredient in these sweet gluten-free vegan crepes!
I never thought a good gluten-free and vegan crepe would be attainable. So I never tried – until now!
I grew up eating the thin Dutch style pancakes – we hardly ever ate the fluffy, diner style kind. I’ve always preferred a thin pancake over a fluffy one, but the thin ones contain many eggs. Replacing the two main ingredients – flour and eggs – seemed like a daunting task.
One day I was looking to see what kind of recipes existed for gluten-free and vegan crepes. One thing I noticed was the use of cornstarch. I’m not sure why, but I immediately thought, what about custard powder?
This recipe calls for Bird’s Custard Powder, which is the “special ingredient”. It’s mostly just cornstarch and flavouring. It works perfectly in this recipe, giving the crepe a somewhat egg-y texture. It also adds colour to the crepes, which I love!
How to Make Sweet Gluten-Free Vegan Crepes
I’ve tried to provide as much detail as possible in the recipe. I’ll highlight a few things here, too, though:
- Use a really good non-stick pan. This is essential. You don’t want to be crying on Sunday morning because your batter is sticking to your pan. Trust me, I’ve been there. It isn’t fun.
- Be sure to lightly oil the pan before every crepe. I’m not talking throwing some oil into the pan, though. Put some oil into a small bowl. Dip some paper towel into the oil and use the oiled paper towel to evenly spread a thin layer of oil onto the pan.
- Play with the temperature until you get it right. This may take some time, possibly a bit of frustration. But I promise you’ll eventually find that sweet spot and you’ll know exactly what to do for your future crepe making mornings!
- Be gentle. Flipping these crepes might not always be easy. You’ll get the hang of it, trust me! If I can do it, so can you. But, it does take a bit of practice.
How to Freeze these Sweet Gluten-Free Vegan Crepes
These crepes are best when eaten right away. That being said, I did freeze some with decent success. I put pieces of parchment in between each crepe, wrapped the pile in plastic wrap, and placed them in a freezer friendly ziplock.
I don’t recommend leaving them in the freezer for more than a few days, though. I left some in the freezer for more than a week and they did not hold up.
The ones that I ate that had only been frozen for a few days were pretty good. Reheat them in a non stick pan on medium heat. Make sure they really warm through before serving.
Looking for other vegan and gluten-free breakfast ideas? Check these out!
These sweet gluten-free vegan crepes are easy to make and absolutely delicious! They are perfect for a Sunday brunch, or for dessert!
- 1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour*
- 1/3 cup Bird's Custard Powder**
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 1/2 cups unsweetened non-dariy milk, like oat or almond
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (like canola)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- neutral oil for coating the pan
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, custard powder, and sugar. Add the non-dairy milk, oil, and vanilla extract. The batter will be very thin. Set aside for 10 minutes.
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In the meantime, prepare your pan. You should use a good quality non-stick pan that is at least 8 inches. The crepes will stick if you don't use a good non-stick pan.
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Heat the pan on medium heat. Take about 1-2 tbsp of a neutral oil, like canola, and place it in a small bowl. Dip a piece of paper towel into the oil and then use this to lightly coat the non stick pan with oil. You will repeat this step before every crepe.
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Once your batter has sat and your pan has heated, make your first crepe. The first one is always a test and doesn't often come out perfect. Pour a scant 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and imedietly tilt the pan in a circular motion so that the batter is evenly and thinly dispersed.
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The crepes will take roughly 2-3 minutes on the first side, then an aditional 1-2 minutes on the second side, for a total time of about 3.5 - 4 minutes. The first crepe may take longer if your pan if not properly preheated. Every stove and every pan is different. If you have never made crepes before, it may take some practice finding the perfect temperature.
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Your crepe will be ready to flip when you can release the edges. The crepes are fragile, so be careful when flipping. I like to use a mini rubber spatula to release the edges and then gently lift the entire crepe using both the spatula and my other hand.
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Transfer the crepe to a plate. Repeat the steps starting at the oiling of the pan for each crepe until you have used up the batter.
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Serve the crepes immediately. See the blog post for freezing options.
*I have not tested this recipe using another kind of GF flour blend. All GF flour blends absorb liquid differently, so I cannot guarantee this recipe will work is you use a different flour blend.
**Bird's custard powder is mostly just corn starch with some added flavour and colouring. I like it because it adds flavour and a fun colour to the crepes, but you should be able to substitute corn starch here if needed. You may want to add extra vanilla extract.
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Love that these are gluten and vegan free. You make it sound so easy to make. Thanks for sharing, Pinning this for later.
Thank you, hopefully you like them!
I had no idea that custard powder was egg and dairy free! These crepes look like perfection and I love that they are gluten and dairy-free. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Colleen! Not all custard powder’s will be safe, but the classic Bird’s is from my research!
What a great innovative recipe. I’m so impressed with the flavour and texture of these, thanks!
Thank you, Sabrina! 🙂